(A) Field of Invention
The present invention relates generally to gripping tools and more particularly relates to gripping tools for heavy wire rope cable.
(B) Description of Prior Art
The handling of heavy wire rope cable occurs in many industries such as telephone, electric, utilities, crane companies, construction, wire mills, the aircraft industry, naval yards, and shipbuilding, to name a few. For all of these industries the handling of heavy wire rope cable is done manually. Although handling of cable is an essential task, it is difficult and generally unpleasant. A great deal of strength must be used to maintain tension on the cable while the end of the cable is being anchored to a fixed structure. This operation requires at least two workers, one worker to hold and tension the cable and to loop the end of the cable around a fixed structure, the other worker to install the conventional cable clamp to the running length of the cable and the free end of the cable forming a loop around a fixed structure. The conventional cable clamp has a saddle portion which has a concave seat and a U-shaped bolt portion which are held together by nuts. The cable fits snugly within the concave part of the saddle portion of the clamp which is applied to the running length of the cable so as not to damage or crimp the running length of the cable when the clamp is tightened. Damage to the running length of the cable can greatly reduce the strength of the cable. The U-shaped bolt portion of the clamp engages the free end section of the cable. Heavy work gloves must be worn to avoid cuts and punctures by steel splinters from the cable which makes it difficult to handle the cable. One worker loops the end of the cable around a fixed structure and folds the free end of the cable against the running length of the cable while maintaining tension on the cable. The second worker installs the conventional cable clamp to the two lengths of cable and also helps to hold the two length of cable together. Frequently, the operation must be repeated which is time consuming and costly.
The use of locking pliers is extensively used in the prior art. However, although some of the prior art shows the use of a pair of locking pliers with specially designed jaws, none provide a versatile and portable locking pliers with specially designed jaws having interlocking and matching projections and having concavity which will clamp two cable lengths together.
Therefore, the primary objective of the invention is to provide a gripping tool for heavy wire rope cable which will enable a convention cable clamp to be installed to a cable without loss of tension. This operation can be accomplished by a single worker.
Another objective of the invention is to provide a tool of the locking pliers type in which the jaws are opposed to each other and having interlocking and matching projections forming a cavity which compliments and accepts two cable sections.
Another objective of the invention is to provide a tool of the locking pliers type having the above described characteristics which, once clamped and locked about a wire rope cable, will firmly hold that cable with substantial force.
Still another objective of the present invention is to provide a gripping tool of the locking pliers type having the above described characteristics which will hold the cable sections in correct alignment for easy acceptance of a conventional cable clamp.
A further objective of the present invention is to provide a gripping tool for heavy wire rope cable which is simple in construction, light weight, strong, durable, and which may be manufactured at a low cost and is easy to use.
These and other objectives of the present invention are more fully described in connection with the drawings an description that follow.